Car bombing has Castlegar police seeking info

Castlegar RCMP are currently investigating an apparent car bombing in Ootischenia. A resident in the 1300-block of Columbia Road called RCMP at 8 a.m. Wednesday morning, stating their car had exploded in the middle of the night. The owner of the car heard the explosion at 1 a.m. but police don’t know why the resident waited to report the incident.

Castlegar RCMP are currently investigating an apparent car bombing in Ootischenia.

A resident in the 1300-block of Columbia Road called RCMP at 8 a.m. Wednesday morning, stating their car had exploded in the middle of the night. The owner of the car heard the explosion at 1 a.m. but police don’t know why the resident waited to report the incident.

“It appears that someone put an explosive device inside the car, which exploded and caused major damage to the car,” Sgt. Laurel Mathew said. “The device was powerful enough to blow out the windows of the car, the windshield was completely blown out and landed about 60 feet from the car.”

Mathew said other area residents also heard the explosion but didn’t report it.

The car had been sitting on the property for some time and wasn’t running, Mathew said.

RCMP have no reason to believe that this was a targeted attack.

“It looks like someone just threw it in there to see something blow up,” she said.

The remains of the bomb will be sent to the Explosive Device Unit of the RCMP.

“It’s some kind of aluminum device,” Mathew said of the bomb. “It’s blown into so many pieces that it’s hard to [decipher].”

Mathew said no witnesses have come forward yet. Anyone with information is asked to call Castlegar RCMP at 250-365-7721.